I’m clinging onto that autumn style. I’m still wearing my hard soled Chelsea boots, and my house is still decked with pumpkins, rather than holly. I’m still desperately trying to hold onto the autumnal season, despite the onslaught of festivity already heading my way, and for me, there’s one sure-fire way to do it: a berry lip.

As a notorious lipstick-lover, the Kiko Gossamer collection was a beautiful find for me, and I honestly spent about 30 minutes combing through their gorgeous autumn shades. Finally settling on 131, the darkest and richest berry shade, I immediately fell in love.

Snuggled inside a metallic bullet case, with the ever-so-entertaining clicky function, the lipstick itself is stunning to wear, and suits even my complex complection perfectly. Imprinted with the unmistakable KK symbol, the consistency is so appealing and long lasting, application is a dream, and I loved trying to out with different looks. Gold eyes and heavy blusher? It’s a match! Dark eyes and a sharp contour? Looks great! Nude make up and windswept hair? Still looks amazing. This is the lipstick you want to make that sulty imprint on your Starbucks PSL cup, to be showcased proudly as you windowshop down the high street.

A smooth blend of deep red, chocolate brown and velvety pinks, the colour enhances already full looking lips and helps them to blossom into an unmissable feature of the face, that you’ll always want to wear. Not sticky, not drying, it’s a soft and rich texture which coats the lips, rather than sinks into them, making it perfect for cracked, winter skin. And best of all, it smells heavenly. A strangely vanilla-scented cosmetic, it’s so tempting just to lick off your lips, yet somehow it has the impressive staying power to withhold your hungry assaults and still look gorgeous after hours of wear.

I’ve never had to re-apply, I’ve never felt clownish in the colour, and I’ve never felt out of place in any situation wearing the Gossamer Edition. Sitting at my desk, catching a train, snuggled up in a cosy scarf for bonfire night, or simply popping to the shops, if that lipstick isn’t on my lips – I must be having a seriously bad #bringcoffee day.

My experience with Kiko lipsticks has never changed, and I’ve always been impressed by their gorgeous bullet selection – even more so now. If you’re looking for your last autumn lip before the cherry reds of Christmas hit the shelves, I couldn’t recommend it more.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! My blog is definitely a looking both a little sparse, and a little different these days so please bear me during this transition! If you like the new look Nikki McCaig, why not give it a quick share, or like and I’ll be running you down with gratitude!

Picture it. It’s 6am on a Monday morning, and you’ve got a million things to do. Get ready for work, make breakfast, pour coffee, put your make up on, do your hair – but your eyes are puffy and heavy with sleep, and you feel more like a zombie than a human as you climb out of bed.Now, I can’t promise any miracles with Nip+Fab. It won’t magically transform you into a morning person, or replace that first sip of coffee in terms of alertness, but I promise you, it will help. The Viper Venom Roll-On Eye Elixir is a beautifully cooling, fast-to-absorb, and genuinely effective skincare formula.Having struggled with fine lines under my eyes from the age of 18, the markers of aging and stress really do show up on my skin in times of pressure, and it makes for incredibly difficult make up application. Dry, faintly cracked skin, laughter lines and creases mean that even the most durable and heavyweight concealer will eventually fall into the chasms, making my foundation look poorly blended and cakey.So finding the right eye product is crucial.

The Nip + Fab Roll On is designed in such a beautifully sleek and unique way that is makes for a really enjoyable application. The cooling roll of the silver ball, the soft matte black casing, the easy grip for sleepy morning – I have no complaints! Even better, it honestly works. From using it twice a day for two weeks, I’ve noticed such an improvement in my under-eye skin – it’s plumper, brighter, less lined and dry. My dark circles are fading, my eyes look more alert and awake, and applying eye make-up is simply easy. One of the elements that concerned me about selecting a roll on eye produt is the fact that my under-eye skin is so sensitive. Everyone’s is. The skin beneath our eyes in seven times thinner than the rest of our face, and it needs the utmost delicate care. So pressing a hard metal ball backwards and forwards across it seemed a little daunting for the anxious folk like me. But it’s such a gentle formula, and it feels just like water gently smoothing out creases and cracks on your skin – so there’s no need to feel anxious before testing. I can’t find a single fault with this product, and I love applying it – I can’t wait to see the next few weeks of effect! Thank you for reading this week’s blog post! To check out the Nip + Fab website (which I highly recommend you do!) click here, or to read my last post, on my Coffee Detox, click here.

Your daily skin care routine is something that every blogger should be proud of. Taking the time out of our busy working lives to focus on a little bit of self care and personal grooming is nothing be ashamed of, and it’s a vital part of my nightly relxation. With the stresses of personal dramas, daily commutes and diaries full of events comes clogged pores, dry patches and fine lines that no one wants to reveal beneath our concealer. So a little bit of pampering at the end of the day is the perfect way to top up your beauty regime, and de-stress after a seriously long haul.

So I thought I would share my Daily Skincare Routine with you today, to not only prove to myself that ‘yes, you do do this every day, and your skin is looking better so don’t give up now’, but to give me an excuse to chat about some of my favourite skincare products at the moment as well!

Prep:

My pre-skincare prep is simple. Take off my watch to avoid it getting soggy, tie my hair up away from my face, and change into something comfy and soft (that I don’t mind getting a little splashed!).

Step One:

To take off the base of my make up, and completely clear my face of any grime and dirt picked up throughout the day, I use the B. Refined Exfoliating Cleanser – an old favourite from Superdrug. Great for sensitive skin, and with the added bonus of exfolitating dead skin whilst cleansing away my imperfections, it’s a daily must in my skincare schedule. To apply, I simply squeeze a little onto my fingers and rub into a foam before gently buffing into the larger areas of my skin e.g. cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. This cleanser has such a beautiful scent, and is so light on the skin that I never have to worry about flaring or redness following application, and it really has made such a difference to my skin.

Step Two:

One of the essential skincare tools, that, I’ll admit, I avoided for such a long time is the household flannel. With too many memories of childhood face washing, and that strange damp smell they get after being folded for too long, I really put off picking up a flannel for facial care, and stuck religiously to muslin cloths and cotton pads. But after buying a towel bundle in Soestrene Grene, with a soft red flannel included, I’ve become a little addicted. To polish off my cleanser, I run the flannel under hot water and gently apply it to remove the cream. I always find that hot water works so much better for skincare, as it really opens up your pores and helps the products to really take effect – whilst feeling particularly refreshing and relaxing too. Then simply pat dry with a soft clean towel. I always try to use one towel just for my face to avoid any contamination or oil spreading.

Step Three:

A new, but instant favourite addition to my skincare regime: The Liz Earle Polishing Toner. One of the lower end Liz Earle products, this toner is a really lovely consistency, and completely embeds itself into your skin. Applied with a soft cotton pad and just wiped across the face and neck, it’s helped my skin to become more even, and firmer, with such a lovely texture for make up application. One thing I will say about the toner is that it can be a little intensive for particularly sensitive skin (especially if left on too long for photoshoots) and can leave skin a little red and irritated if uncompatible, so I recomend testing a little before investing.Step Four:

After letting the toner work it’s magic on my skin, I get to work on my eyes. Desperately in need of care, the Khiels Creamy Eye Treatment is at the top of my shopping list, but for now, I’m simply making do with make up removal wipes. Having a long history of horror stories with cheap, low end skin wipes, I selected a more trusted brand for this task: the Garnier Daily Skin Wipes, designed for removing waterproof eye make up. So far, they’ve been absolutely beautiful for my eyes, and remove even the clumpiest of mascara applications, which makes for refreshed eyes come an early start in the morning. No more stained pillowcases or black panda eyes in this house!

Step Five:

The penultimate step to beautiful skin: moisturiser. For this step, I usually plump for the Cinique Drastically Different Moisturiser, but it can vary between a few old favourites. On those nights, I’ll be picking up the ELF Hydrating Serum, or the Garnier Moisture Burst Moisturiser as my final skin supplment, but for today, I’m indugling in Clinque. Beautifully soft and refreshing, it’s a really clean scent to apply, and it’s gorgeous packing helps it to look stunning on every shelf. A personal self-gift, I love applying this one at the end of a long day.

Step Six:

Tea. For all of the lotions and potions we apply throughout the day, from hand cream to lip balm to Clinique cleansers, my favourite skincare tool? A good old cup of tea. For night time skincare, I’ll usually stir up a small mug of ginger and lemon, both for the vibrance it adds to my skin, but also for the benefits it has on my stomach, my sleep and my mind at the end of a particularly testing day. I cannot recommend this blend more, it’s my favourite herbal, and a staple in my daily skincare routine.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, and are following along with my daily adventures on Instagram Stories! I’ve uploaded a couple of #bloggerBTS onto Twitter to see how I achieved the mirror-ed shots, as I’m really enjoying the mini-video additions to my blog at the moment.

Imagine a nail varnish to see you through the day. To stay with you through life’s inevitable hardships and labourous projects. To glue itself to your look through thick and thin, through every bowl of dirty dishes, every heavy-duty shower, every spring clean and itchy nose that might come your way over the next two weeks.The Rimmel London Super Gel is that nail varnish. A beautifully glossy, chip-free and fast drying paint that holds it’s form and shine no matter what you put your hands through throughout the week. It truly is a glamourous, yet practical coat that adapts to your schedule, your style and yourself in a way that no other nail varnish I’ve encountered has.Our lives are chaotic and hetic and every other busy-jective that ends in an ‘ic’. And the make up wearing souls amongst us need beauty products that can stand up to the testing hours of our working schedules. The Super Gel does that. So far, having simply picked up the bottle on a casual beauty browse, I’ve been wearing it for nearly a week, and I’ve not once needed to top up, re-apply or re-polish. Only accompanied by a standard clear base and top coat, my nails still look amazing after 1 blog shoot, 5 days of typing, 20 cups of coffee, 7 days of make up application, 4 showers, 6 bowls of washing up, and 2 attempts at flower arranging. And the paint hasn’t budged.Colour wise, I could not be happier. The shade I’m wearing in photographs below is 043 Venus – a dark, wine-red that seems to filter itself depending on the light surrounding my hands. Inside, in bright, natural lighting, it’s a gorgeous lipstick red, deeply suited to Parisian lookbooks and slick make up appliancation. In warm, orange cosy lighting, it’s a softer red, with hints of brown and copper tones running to the tips of fingers. And outside, in the brightest of lights, it’s a glossy purple, lighter and tonal, elongating my fingers, just dying to be wrapped around a coffee cup and a heavy handbag of goodies.Painting varnish onto my nails is a process I normally dread. The stickiness of wet varnish, the smell of the chemicals, the fear of even the smallest smudge on my fluffy white cushions…Luckily, the Super Gel helped me avoid the worst of it. Surprisingly fast drying, the varnish looks beautifully shiny and smooth from the moment you apply it, and sets almost instantly – leaving only a few moments of patience before your nails are ready to go.All in all, I can’t recommend this nail varnish highly enough, and I’m so excited to share my recommendation on my brand new blog.

So welcome to Nikki McCaig 2.0! A new aesthetic, a new approach, and a new style for my blog. So please fasten your seatbelts and enjoy your stay because there’s a whole lot of great content coming very soon!

For the longest time, I’ve been residing in the anti-beauty blender camp. With skin as fickle as mine, and as dry and as porous, the idea of bashing a soggy foundation soaked sponge all over my face first thing in the morning really didn’t apply. I’m a buffer brush girl at heart, and when it comes to make up, taking risks isn’t really my style.

However, on a complete whim, I picked one up. On a busy shopping day with my friend, in our city centre H&M, I suddenly decided that – yes, I did need to add something else to the growing pile of items in my arms, and that thing was a beauty blender. The single H&M Beauty Blender, which I believe I picked up for around £2.99, is a purple teardrop sponge with a ribbed, pointed tip, and is magic.

Ok, perhaps not magic. But it has honestly changed my mind on the beauty blender craze – I’m entirely obsessed with them from here on it. Delicately absorbent, a few drops of water can dampen the entire sponge perfectly for smooth application. The texture of the sponge is so soft and malleable, it’s incredibly gentle on skin, and the rough patches of my face have definitely felt the difference from the brushes.

The pointed tip is perfect for those tricky areas to apply, working concealer and brighteners under the eyes and around the nose beautifully. The smooth, even courage seems to be a product of every foundation I’ve tried out recently; even some of the ‘creamer’ solutions have blended surprisingly well into my skin.

So the single teardrop blender was working out great for me, however, by that point, I’d caught the beauty blender bug and just had to get my hands on more! So, obviously, within the next 48 hours, I’d picked up three more blenders. Designed for the more intricate facial applications, these sponges, although perhaps lacking the flexibility of the original, are definitely a lot of fun to use and work well during contour and highlight applications too!

The double ended sponge, personally, I’ve come to love just as much as my teardrop blender, and it works so well blending out any blemishes or stark bronzer lines – smoothing out your complexion to a flawless finish.

Whilst my previous post on the Danielle make up brushes might have been recommended to those relatively new or inexperienced to make up application, the beauty blender is potentially better suited to an aged veteran of the contour. They take a little time to adjust to, especially having used brushes or fingers for such a long time, but once you get the hang of them – not only are the H&M blenders budget friendly, they’re also great for your skin and make up too.

Thank you so much for reading – to check out my last post please click here, or to check out my new print shop, take a peek here!

Beyond the oval brushes I reviewed for my Blogmas 2016, I’ve never actually written a beauty post for a set of make up brushes. The first set of brushes I ever owned were a non-brand eBay purchase, which, although adorable, weren’t a collection I felt I could blog about.

But for Christmas, as I steadily made my way through the many many beauty products I unwrapped last year, I received a full set of Danielle baby pink made-for-everything brushes…and I couldn’t stop myself from reviewing them.

With gorgeously chunky handles for an easy grip, and pastel pink bases with a rose gold metal wrap, you couldn’t ask for a prettier blogger-friendly brush. They’re about five seconds away from dominating my Instagram account, and were so naturally adorable, editing these photos took no time at all.

I should also point out that, as well as the cute Danielle branding on one side of the handle, each different brush has a specific function printed on the other. Although I completely understand that some make up artists might find that a little patronising, or instead, will simply ignore them and use each brush however they like, I actually found it really helpful. Having been applying and adapting my make up techniques from the age of 14, my general approach to it is based on what my friends recommend, old videos from deleted beauty guru profiles and all the super-handy tricks found in Mizz magazine. And whilst absorbing myself in the world of beauty blogging has definitely helped, I’ll never turn down a little guidance in this area.

From the spoolie brow brush to the contour, you could happily complete your entire look with these brushes alone. Well, perhaps not the daft black sponge every brush collection is determine to include – despite the fact that most make up artists stopped using them in 2007. But with each brush having a uniquely designated purpose, it’s so easy to just sit down and get to work.

One thing I would have to comment on, however, is the ever so slightly poor construction of the brushes – I’ve had to superglue several heads to handles in the last month to stop them from wobbling during application. A few of the bigger brush heads actually separated from their handles entirely in my make up bag – so I would definitely recommend keeping on eye on that little flaw for a while.

Despite this, the brush hairs are all of a seriously good quality, and surprisingly, have managed to stay surprisingly clean for the amount of times I use them per week. Soft powder brushes, neatly curved eye concealer brushes, and perfectly pointed crease contouring tips for blending. For each nook and crease of your face, there’s a handy little brush ready to help.

Good value, good quality, and adorably photogenic – these are brushes designed and packaged just for bloggers. And, even better, the Danielle brand stocks more than just brushes – so go and check her out because she is genuinely fabulous.

With the weary dregs of the festive season slowly fading from our skin, I thought it was time to finally break into the sack of skincare goodies lying at the bottom of my bed. After a month of cold weather, rich food and many a late night party I desperately needed some high quality pampering.

Cowshed is a brand I’ve always been curiously tempted to try. Their natural, rural aesthetic will forever appeal to that lost forgotten dream inside me to leave the city and rule a country farm somewhere… Plus the irony of their crudest products has always struck a chord with my daft sense of humour. Yet for some reason, I’ve never found the time to give them a go.

The packaging of this particular cracker, however, with its adorable grey bow ties, and streaked wooden boxing caught my eye so quickly in this stocking my greedy little fingers snatched it up right away. Although perhaps a little un-friendly to excited bloggers, desperately trying to find out what’s inside without damaging the yet-to-be photographed cracker, even without opening the ends, you can still appreciate its appeal on your vanity table.

The Cowshed Cracker actually came with a variety of options, with different products inside each box – mine, however, contained a dainty little skin scrub, and a daily moisturiser, of the wonderfully named ‘bullocks’ branding. When it comes to facial scrubs or exfoliants, I’m always a little wary. My skin can be dry at the best of times, so dragging rough, brittle flecks across it can, occasionally, damage it further. So I’m constantly on the hunt for something a little bit softer.

Described as a ‘refined facial scrub’, the Bullocks product is a much gentler solution, with almost invisible exfoliating stones that very cautiously buff your skin into submission. It’s a lovely product to apply, and smells beautifully fresh on your skin. Both the moisturiser and the scrub have been blended to contain hemp wood oil – typically used in carpentry and furniture polishing, but a substance that settles any flaring or discolouration in your skin just the same.

The moisturiser, on the other hand, is one that has worked its way so easily into my morning routine I barely even notice how many times I apply it a day. Although both products are recommended to be used before and after shaving, but beyond the odd streak of upper lip fuzz, these guidelines rarely apply here. A cooling, lightweight solution that glides onto your skin and absorbs quickly for make up or facial product application, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the scrub. Both smell and share many of the same properties, helping your skin to stay clear of heavy duty scents and unnecessary layers of product.

My only flaw – they’re so tiny I keep having to refresh my supply, and I’m rapidly becoming dependent on them to keep my skin looking so healthy!

Thank you so much for reading my first beauty post of the year – and I hope your skincare routines are warming back up again after the Christmas chill!

As the nights draw in and our evenings feel colder than ever, in this cosy festive period there’s nothing better than sinking into a hot, relaxing bubble bath. Putting your feet up at the end of the tub, grabbing that book you’ve been meaning to read all year and lighting your favourite therapeutic candles and letting the stresses of Christmas just fade away.

But if you’re a seasonal soul like me, shutting the bathroom door on Christmas never quite works. I love the festive scents, flavours and bath products available at this time of year, as make any bathtime moment feel that little bit more magical. And this year, I’ve collected up some truly beautiful bath bombs, salts and soaps.

Lush Golden Wonder

It wouldn’t be a bath bomb haul without a couple of Lush products thrown in for good measure now, would it? But this bath bomb, the beautiful gift shaped golden wonder with its sweet honey lime scents and glitter dipped bow sits beautifully at the side of any bathtub, so I felt it was worth the cliche.

Immersed elegantly into a bubbling stream of hot water, this fragrant composition makes for a perfect morning, or evening bath, if you want a little homely zing to open up the senses. It settles clouds of gold over the water and allows you to sit in a haze of luxury and festivity – the perfect seasonal opulence.

Herbal Rose Soaps

If you haven’t seen enough of the herbs in the kitchen this festive season, and can handle the herbal scents away from the stuffing of the turkey and the seasoning of the sprouts – these beautifully dainty might just suit you nicely. Swirled into delicate hearts and embedded floral crumbles, these are the perfect evening bathing companions for the rural, the country and the kitsch bathers amongst us.

Dissolving yourselves in these bitesize drops of smooth, chocolatesque soap is the ultimate way to unwind after a busy day of merriment!

Gingerbread Bath Fizzer

Nothing says Christmas like a good old bite of gingerbread. And that warm, freshly baked gingerbread scent will always make you feel cosy and festive. So a gingerbread shaped, scented and decorated bath bomb…how could anyone possibly resist?

It’s a gorgeously strong scented fizzer, that sparks through your bathwater with heat and spices that just fill the room and spark along your limbs as you immerse yourself completely. A Poundland bargain of surprisingly quality, this is a gift just waiting to be shared that looks far more glamorous than its source.

Lush Shoot For The Stars

You must have seen this bomb on the Lush shelves. It’s a bright spark of colour that’s impossible to ignore in any Lush store across the country, with a scent that simply draws you in. With the deep dark blue sphere dissolving and fizzing so softly into the water, it changes the liquid around to a sea of inky swirls that’s irresistible for dipping fingers and toes into. But, even better, the little gold glitter stars are infused with essential oils and magical soap solidity that holds them in place as their galaxy collapses.

Smoothing the butter soft soaps across your skin and lining your body with a sheen of glitter, you step out of the bath feeling like a goddess, designed for a higher purpose than the mere empty bubble bath.

Ginger Soap Savon

The friend who gifted me this soap is a true festive thespian, who knows me far too well, and can sense the scents of my heart from within. Designed, milled and packaged in Scotland (much like my boyfriend) and scented with the sweetest natural ginger (also like my boyfriend) this is such a creamy, luxurious bath product I’m still slightly afraid to use it for fear of spoiling it.

It’s beautiful tin fits snugly into the lining of our bathtub, and it makes for a truly traditional Christmas gift – leaving your skin as warm and fresh as, well, gingerbread. I adore it, her, and the boy it reminds me of.

Who says that Christmas needs to be busy and stressful? Why not take the time to relax, indulge and luxuriate yourself this festive season with only the finest soaps, bombs and fizzers this winter.

Thank you for reading, and I will see you all tomorrow as the days to Christmas rapidly escape me!

Even though the Christmas party buzz has faded, there’s still an tingle of excitement in the air, as Christmas Day is only 4 sleeps away! And once the big day arrives, everything becomes that little bit more magical. Every mundane act you do will feel different on Christmas Day. As Michael McIntyre joked ‘even taking a wee on Christmas Day feels different’.

And so, when it comes to dolling yourself up for the day, shouldn’t your make up feel a little bit more special too? How about applying your foundation with brushes of copper? With glossy handles and soft bristles and beautifully curved brush heads? With brushes that look slightly look shoe brushes, but blend foundation evenly and smoothly?

The PS Foundation brushes, although perhaps unconventionally shaped and designed, are a surprisingly versatile tool when it comes to applying your foundation. Available in collections of 3 descending sizes, there’s brush for each nook, cranny and curve in your face. A tiny brush for concealer portions – under the eyes, around the nostrils and lining the lips. A medium brush for the slightly larger areas, like the chin, nose and jawline – and a large brush for the bigger surface areas of your face: your cheeks and forehead.

Despite PS’ typically cheap production, given that they are technically a Primark brand, this product is surprisingly luxurious in its design, with the bristles being a solid mass of individually soft strands, which glide across your face perfectly. Without the flexibility of a fluffy foundation brush, the foundation only goes where you need it to, and the bristles are so close together hardly any product remains on the brush. For those of you who, like me, are the worst at cleaning your make up brushes – this might just save your life.

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The handles are a lightweight plastic, which makes for easy manipulation of the brush. And they do genuinely make for a beautiful addition to any make up bag and will look absolutely stunning on your dressing table. You’ll notice a definite change in your make up, and might even find it a more efficient way of applying it! Anything to save me time in the morning is something I’ll fight to get my hands on, so if you’re anything like me, you’ll pick some up tomorrow!

As Christmas is only 4 days away, I hope you’re all getting ready for the big day and enjoying these final few blogmas posts!

Are anyone else’s lips dry as the proverbial bone at this time of year? Inside the house or out, any change in temperature seems to be causing a sandstorm of dryness around my lips, which as well as feeling awful, really isn’t a festive party season look.

And year after year, I go through lip balm after lip balm and treatment after treatment to try and find some form of protection against the elements – whether that’s the dry central heating in our ancient house or the cold biting winds of the roads outside.

So this year, to both help you, and to remind myself in future winters to come, I thought I’d make a handy list of the lip balms, butters and even glosses I recommend for soft, kissable lips when the nights go cold!

Flutter Lip Balm – £2.99

Although I gave their brand a bit of a slating in my advent calendar review, I can’t fault that the Flutter lip balm has a tiny place in my heart this Christmas. Scented sweetly of strawberry, this balm is surprisingly moisturising and has a really lovely soothing effect on your lips, coating them and calming them in one swift slick.

With a gentle oil that sits on your lips and adds a natural looking shine to your pout, it’s a cheap and cheerful balm that is definitely hand to have in a crisis.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter – £7.99

With Revlon making two appearances in this list, it’s clear to see they’re a brand designed for comfort as well as colour. Which makes them my new best friend.

The Colourburst Lip Butter is, honestly, no different from any other lipstick I’ve tried. It glides on, stays on and then wipes off in a colourful streak at the end of the day. But it’s something more. In a solution blended with the softest shea butter, this lip butter has softening qualities built into its beautiful colour and plush textures.

In the sugary nude shade of ‘Creme Brûlée 095’, Revlon have brought back the glamorous glossy lip with a new twist on moisturising lip care at the same time.

Maybelline Coloursensational – ‘725 Tantalizing Taupe’ – £8.99

A standard lipstick, yet with a secret superpower. This is a lipstick that is actually good for your lips. Having tried both matte and shiny lipsticks with the power to destroy the condition of your lips, I know how important it is to find one that actually soothes them instead.

In a beautifully warming nude shade, this was my lipstick of the autumn season but it’s definitely made a re-return this winter. Its sheer ability to make my lips feel lovely whilst wearing it has been my saviour many a morning, and it matches my skin tone perfectly…an additional yet incredibly welcome bonus.

Who says Christmas is only for shades of the berry?

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm – £7.99

The words ‘matte’ and ‘balm’ are a combination I never thought would work. Every matte lipstick I’ve ever test run has always ended up sinking its pigment laden teeth into the cracks and splits of my lips, making me look more Halloween ghoul than Hollywood glamour. But this one is different.

A peppermint infused, rose tinted balm with plumping, soothing and creamy textures in a crayon consistency with a gentle matte finish…sound good to you?

Whilst it definitely took me a while to get used to the peppermint highlights of the Revlon Balm, it’s now become one of my favourite products to apply. As well as discreetly hiding any trace of morning breath, it applies easily with a creamy consistency that glides across your lips before settling happily into a matte rosy pink shade. Baby pink might not be everyones colour this Christmas, but super soft lips definitely should be.

Ciaté – Olivia Palermo – £17.00

Because it just wouldn’t be a beauty post with a gushing Ciate mention from me!

A luxurious little lipstick in a shiny gold bullet casing, this is one of my favourite moisturising lip colours, in a beautiful chocolate nude that looks beautiful with every skin tone.

In terms of its lip saving qualities, it might not be a balm but it definitely has the softness of one! It applies smoothly, survives every drink, taste and kiss test imaginable, and even once it’s worn away, it leaves you lips feel soft and moisturised for hours after use!

We all need a little help puckering up this winter, but why spend a fortune trying to find it?

I hope this little list has inspired you to pick up a couple of luxurious lip care solutions this Christmas – consider it a me-to-me present! Have a fantastic evening!